Laser Sunspot Treatments Video: Victorian Cosmetic Institute

In this video Dr. Jenny Kimmins demonstrates the laser removal of sun spots using the ruby laser.

A common problem often presented to skin care professionals are sun spots (which are also often referred to as age spots). Dr. Jenny Kimmins uses the Ruby Laser to remove a sunspot from the forehead of a woman at the Victorian Cosmetic Institute. The Ruby Laser is often used to treat sunspots, which are small brown spots or patches of pigmentation on the skin as a result of extended sun exposure over several years. These spots can be treated individually, and usually only require one or two treatments to be significantly lightened or eliminated completely.

The light released by the Ruby laser is absorbed by the brown pigmentation in the sun spot. The quick and precise pulsing of the laser breaks up the pigment, making it disappear or fade exponentially. If any additional treatments are needed, they are usually done approximately six weeks later after the first procedure, but normally, only one treatment is needed.

A photo is taken prior to treatment to note the lightening of the pigmentation after the procedure. Before the process begins, Dr. Kimmins puts metal goggles on the patient to protect the eyes from the harsh light of the laser. The laser is placed and fired at the spot to be removed. With a few quick pulses, the procedure is over. The area is slightly reddened, and the spot has transitioned to a grayish color, but a vast difference in the darkness of the spot can be seen immediately following the treatment. Over the course of the next week to ten days, the spot is expected to begin to fade, the color change will become much less apparent, and the redness will dissipate. Hopefully, by the end of the healing cycle, the spot will be gone completely and show no signs of previous treatment.

The Ruby Laser is not just for sun spots; it can also be used for tattoo removal (whether they are professional, amateur, or medical tattoos) to possibly eliminate the ink completely. Often, for these cases, more than one laser treatment is needed to completely remove all ink remnants. The number of treatments required depends wholly on the type of mark being treated and the severity of the pigmentation.